At our university we are being trained to use Microsoft Dynamics Navision 2013. However, one of my co-students refuses to learn and/or use that software because he claims it is dead (according to his father who is an important CIO).

Apparently Navision is 'bloatware' that went nearly bankrupt and Microsoft decided to buy it and use it for re-profit (as my co-student stated). He told me that in many companies installing Navision or any kind of Microsoft product like that is against company policy because that software is 'horribly inefficient'. I am not sure of the details.

So assuming Navision is dead, then why does my university put it in its program? Why is it 'a preparation for the business world' if the software is allegedly dead in use?

While I've not heard of the software myself, sometimes you have to take things people say with a grain of salt.

I don't know your classmate or his dad, but it sounds like a Microsoft anti-fanboy talking to me. Did he have a suggestion of what to use instead?

Also, not everything you learn in college is going to help you in the real world either. Most of what I learned I have forgotten because I've never had to use it.

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Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 is a business management solution for small and mid-sized organizations that automates and streamlines business processes. Highly adaptable and rich with features, Microsoft Dynamics NAV enables companies to manage their business, including finance, manufacturing, sales, shipping, project management, services, and more. Companies can easily add functionality that is relevant to the region of operation, and that is customized to support even highly specialized industries.

Its a developer tool available through MSDN Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2. There is a lot of similar products out there that out perform this software.

That's all you had to say to prove he's an idiot. Doesn't matter what that kid says, he's an idiot. Why would you "refuse" knowledge? Regardless of the subject, it's not like our brain has limited storage capacity. Although, it sounds like his does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFu

he claims it is dead (according to his father who is an important CIO).

Everyone's Dad is important. Also, from my experience, CIO's are not people you want to ask techy questions, so just know that. They know more business than they know IT, which is why they are business executives. Asking the average CIO where tech will go in the next x years is like asking my 8 year how he should be raised. CIO's are a product of tech, rarely the other way around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFu

He told me that in many companies installing Navision or any kind of Microsoft product like that is against company policy because that software is 'horribly inefficient'. I am not sure of the details.

I've never seen a company policy (in my studies or IRL) that stated anything like the above. An Acceptable Use Policy shouldn't specify individual products, unless used as an example (e.g. "No music apps like Spotify"), but I've never seen that either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFu

So assuming Navision is dead

It's not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFu

then why does my university put it in its program? Why is it 'a preparation for the business world' if the software is allegedly dead in use?

First, M$' Dynamic Suite:
The Dynamics suite is not dead. In fact, this study shows it still has 11% market share ending 2012. That's not much, but that's also not dead. Also too, my company still used it up until this past February for our employee espresso bar register (primarily because we had to maintain two inventory databases and were waiting to be able to incorporate with our inhouse system to make that leap away from dynamics), and we're a top 100 internet retailer, and part of (one of) the largest retail conglomerates on the planet! So, for his "CIO of Bob's crab shack" of a Dad to say that anything is dead... I would take that with a grain of salt. Maybe even a lot of salt.

Sounds like a spoiled kid who doesn't know the value of knowledge + experience.

So why teach it?
M$ Dynamics may not be dead, but it's not exactly thriving either. Either way though, it is a good platform to teach students how different software packages interact, from the user experience to the backend data storage in SQL (Schools also get M$ products at very low rates).

You should pay attention because even if you never use that product again, some principles are universal. I'll also emphasize this point again, there is true value in knowledge + experience. Refusing either of those is for the foolish.

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There are at least two further versions planned with a pretty aggressive release cycle.

it might be that your friends dad doesn't use it. but then I imagine that's because the CIO isn't involved in the daily business process planning.

It could also be that your friend will fail his course when he can't complete assigned tasks after failing to learn the software.

Then he'll probably go and get a job at his dads work place because as a drop out it's the only job he'll really manage to get.

regards bloat and software...
good tools are chosen for specific jobs. if a tool gets a job done then it is used, regardless of the bloat.

anyone who eve looks at the memory foot print of firefox will see that it's a pretty bloated thing, but it doesn't stop hundreds, if not thousands of companies using it world wide...

out of interest, any clues what the business is that your mates dad is in? or what industry sector, it could be that Navision isn't used because it's really not very applicable to the work that they are doing there? -e.g. the guy thinks it's bloated because it's got far more features than he needs.
e.g. you wouldn't use project to create a plan for going on holiday would you? but that doesn't mean that the software is bloated and dead just because it doesn't fit your purpose.

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Navision is not dead!! It is actually growing and currently has 102000 installs supporting over 2 million users. Any chance you have to learn should be accepted with an open mind. Please keep in mind that his Dad's opinion is just that an opinion. I am really questioning the important CIO comment any CIO that I have met would not know the tech side of an umbrella. Here is a thought tell your friend to man up and open his mind and form his own opinion after learning about it. If not maybe he should go work for his important CIO dad and bring him coffee instead of wasting his money in University.